"It wasn't difficult," Ron entered the kitchen in Grimmauld Place, casually waving an envelope with a wax seal. - It's all been agreed upon.
"Wow! Seriously Ron? How did you do this? Are these stolen? Or did you cast Confundus on unfortunate Muggles?" Ginny glared at her brother. - "Although, no. As an Auror's wife, it's better for me not to know either way".
"And how does Harry tolerate you?" Ron shrugged and tossed the envelope across the table at me. "Take it, Hermione".
"Thanks, Ron. This is great!" I tried to put into words all the gratitude I felt for his help. "Why are they in an envelope with the ministerial seal?" Did you get plane tickets through the Ministry of Magic?"
"Fly on a plane?" Ron was surprised. - "No? Permission to use the international ministerial portkey. You tell the destination - and you're there. Direct shipping. But only to Canberra. There is a local transport. Open it up, look!"
Preparations for departure were in full swing for five days from now. In order not to frame Harry in the Auror office, we decided to tell him only the essentials, omitting the illegal component of the enterprise. Ginny took over the explanation. I don't know what exactly she told him, but Harry tried not to ask questions, concentrating entirely on finding out the legal details of Australian magical law. Ginny, meanwhile, launched a flurry of collection activities. At the moment, she was checking the list of necessary things, and purchases for the tenth time. The kitchen table was littered with papers marked "Must have", "Desirable" and "Just in case". This hassle had its upsides. There was simply no time to think about Snape, the 6th of January, and Bellatrix's wand. But somewhere inside, on the edge of consciousness, the tension continued to grow, and I felt like I was about to explode. Definitely, Ron came in handy.
After opening the package, I took out a thick paper rectangle and read:
"Magic Transport Department, level six. Departure time is January 7th, six o'clock in the afternoon. Issued to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley... Mrs. Weasley? Why?"
Ron frowned.
"Actually, Percy got them for our parents. He wanted to send them to rest for a week. But they refused. Because of Fleur. The baby is about to be born. And here, as ordered, the seventh of January. An identity document is required from you, and it's better to send it over right now: you need to make corrections to the ministerial lists ... And why does it smell so delicious here?"
"Stay out of the pot, Ronald," Ginny said sternly. "Wash your hands and sit down at the table. And you, Hermione, go get your papers. Just don't delay - we still have to go shopping! "
I went out into the corridor and took a deep breath. It was a relief to slip away from this hotbed of activity even for a few minutes. Ginny's resemblance to Mrs. Weasley became more and more noticeable each passing day.
Already on the stairs, the thought occurred to me: what "document" did Ron mean? A Muggle passport? Will have to go back and ask him.
Before entering the kitchen, I stopped when I heard annoyed voices:
"...I want to help Hermione as much as you do, but this is a Christmas present for our parents! Couldn't you have come up with something else? "
"What do you think I've been doing all these days? According to Percy, all official international portkeys are scheduled until March. I asked to show me the lists of these people in order to somehow negotiate with them - but you know Percy ... I tried to break in through the Federation of Magical Sports - but they only had Europe. I tried through Gringotts and Bill, but - that's bad luck - for some reason the goblins don't like us. I don't even know why…?" Ron seethed with every word.
"Mummy and Daddy haven't been on vacation in years," Ginny said grimly.
"But Hermione's parents had been on vacation for a hundred years ahead!" Ron yelled.
There was a sound behind the door, as if something had fallen. I flung open the door and almost ran into Kreacher, who suddenly appeared in the kitchen. He had a frying pan in his hand.
"Mistress," he rasped to Ginny, "Kreacher was about to clean up the dining room, but he thought he'd ask if the Mistress needed his help?"
Ginny tried to hide her smile.
"Thanks, Kreacher. I'm alright".
"Kreacher is always ready to help." He bowed and then scowled at Ron. "And Kreacher hears everything that goes on in the house".
After waiting for Kreacher to leave the kitchen, Ron muttered:
"Kreacher the defender, my foot. Previously, only Bella and Cissy were good enough for him!"
"Don't, Ron," Ginny sighed. "Kreacher is having a hard time. He saw Lestrange's death and didn't come to her aid because he fought on our side. For an elf, this is against their nature. He still cries over some little things from the old masters ..."
I coughed and Ginny turned to me.
"Hermione, you heard everything through the door, didn't you? Sorry, it didn't sound good. It just pissed me off how this preening peacock first boasted that he was such a cool wizard, and then ... "
"I understand, Ginny, no need to explain... Ron!"
" Well?" he said gloomily.
"Do you think I can thank Mr. and Mrs. Weasley before we leave?"
"Of course." The tense expression immediately disappeared from his eyes. - "Do you want to do it today?"
" Later!" Ginny snapped inexorably. "We still have a lot of important things to do today".
Ron went to the Ministry while Ginny went back to the lists. But her thoughts were somewhere far away, and the discussion of the need for spare sunglasses, beach shoes and other boring things quickly died out. The silence dragged on, but I was in no hurry to ask the reason for the silence. Whatever Ginny was thinking about right now, she wouldn't be able to keep her composure for long.
Ten minutes later my expectations were justified.
"Hermione... I know this is not the time," she began hesitantly. "And yet… have you figured out your feelings? I want to say that Snape - he certainly has changed, but ... you understand that nothing will come of this? "
After finishing the end of the sentence in one breath, Ginny looked at me questioningly.
"Yes," I smiled my most benevolent smile and lured a piece of paper with the heading line "Important" towards me.
"And what does this all-encompassing "yes" mean?" Ginny assumed the stance of an Irish Setter that sensed its prey.
"Yes" to both questions. Point one - I've figured it out. Point two - nothing will come of it".
"So you're not in love with Snape anymore?"
Mrs. Potter's tact was little different from that of a scalpel. I put down the papers.
"I don't think the word "in love" applies to this situation. In any case, I am absolutely not going to pester Snape with my feelings, so you can be sure of my morality".
Ginny snorted.
"Morality… I'm more concerned about your broken heart. Now that it's clear that Snape was messing with you..."
A hot suffocating wave swept over my skin. My throat was dry. I had to swallow a few times before asking:
"It was that clear? Indeed? And why would he be?"
Ginny looked at me in surprise.
"Because of the potion, of course. Snape needed to test it on someone before... Hermione? Did I offend you? Listen. It was a good move on his part. He kind of let you make medicine for your parents with your own hands. And he said this only when everything worked out with Malfoy ... Hermione! Where are you going?"
"I'll be right back, Ginny. I need…"
It's good to have a big house. You can just run away. Without hesitation. Not having to analyze where you're going next. Just going. Climbing the stairs, passing through the narrow corridors, opening the doors... The dining room was empty. Either Kreacher had already finished cleaning, or he disappeared when he heard my footsteps. I decorated this room for Christmas. Ginny strictly forbade Kreacher from altering anything in her until the twelfth night. The green and silver tinsel now seemed faded and out of place.
"Now that it's clear why Snape was messing with you..."
Is it clear to everyone but me?
I sat down at the dinner table. We recently celebrated Christmas at this table. Snape toasted, joked, and generally behaved like a regular human...
"What you think of as a good relationship was just the result of obligations ..." - my memory instantly picked up an appropriate quote.
The empty frame of Dumbledore's portrait was eye-catching. It seemed that its inhabitant was about to appear and utter something vaguely wise and comforting. But the canvas remained empty.
And what could I ask it?
"Do you think, Professor Dumbledore, does Professor Snape really care about me?"
"Well, Miss Granger! After all, he fixed your trainers, told you a fairy tale and gave you a Christmas ornament. How many students can boast of such a list of courtesies?"
I imagined the Headmaster's intonation and laughed. The list was truly amazing. But that didn't change what Ginny was talking about. Snape needed to test his cure, and he needed to win my trust in every possible way. So that there was no doubt about the safety or effectiveness of the product and the disinterested motives of its creator. He went about the task perfectly.
"I trust Severus Snape..."
Thank you, Headmaster Dumbledore. We will assume that you have expressed your opinion.
When I got back to the kitchen, Ginny was busy drawing some disgusting fanged thing on one of the lists. Without looking at me, she spoke:
"I remember waking up in the Chamber of Secrets, and at first I only thought that I could be kicked out of school and even sent to Azkaban. And then I suddenly realized: I was saved by the famous Harry Potter - the boy with whom I am head over heels in love. Imagine, I lived with this thought for two whole years ... Until Romilda Vane tried to cry on me. "Ah, Harry… ah, the Chosen One… He is so amazing… How I wish he would protect me from some terrible monster. Not like you, Ginny, but for real."
"I thought Harry really saved you," I remarked, not understanding what this conversation was about.
"And it turned out he didn't. Romilda then explained everything very clearly. Turns out Harry didn't do it for me. He risked his life for a friend's sister and Mrs. Weasley's daughter, who treated him well. Do you understand what I mean? Anyone could have been in my place ... It was a shame".
" Yes, I understand. So what?"
"Nothing," Ginny began to cross out the portrait of the basilisk. - I asked myself: with whom, in fact, did I manage to fall in love? The Boy-Who-Lived-and-Keeps-Going ? Or just Harry? Who has funny hair, dirt under his nails and ... a lot of other things that you don't need to talk about".
"Yeah," I agreed, "not necessarily. Will there be a moral to this story?"
"Well... It was going to be there when I started talking, and then..." Ginny put the ruined drawing aside. — "Oh, I remembered! It all comes down to one thing: you can't love someone for something. And if the fact is that Snape is such a caring darling, then you can safely bury this story somewhere in the past. Gratitude is the worst basis for a relationship. And if the reason is different, then why are you so upset?"
"Deeply upsetting," I admitted again. "What do you recommend, Healer Ginny?"
"I've been waiting for this question," she faked a sly grin. - "Live! Do you remember how you told me that yourself? Live. Be yourself. Rejoice in the one who is near ... Do you know that Krum was looking for you?"
" Viktor?"
"I don't know any other Krums. When Harry again decided to cheat on me with an Auror's everyday life, I went to celebrate the New Year with Bill and Fleur, and this clumsy handsome man was visiting them. I was asked a lot about you. He was interested in how you and Ron are ... I promised that you would write him a couple of lines ..."
"Ginny, this is pandering!" I was indignant, but more for order than seriously.
" Nothing like this! I just want you to get out of your cocoon and look at the situation from the side. You don't have to choose between an unearthly passion for a former teacher and sympathy for an old friend. You don't owe anything to anyone!" Ginny waved a blank piece of paper in front of my nose.
" Tabula rasa?"
" Let's admit it. I wish I understood what that means... You've been away from Wizarding society for too long. First with Harry and Ron, now with Snape. Australia is great, just don't try to repeat yourself. When you get back, I'll take you for real! As a completely disinterested person... And why is that funny?"
"The main thing is that she really comes back," Harry's voice made me wince.
"Oh, you're back early today." Ginny changed her tone instantly. "Hermione and I were speaking in secret here. You might have made some noise when you entered".
"Next time I will." Harry sat down beside him and glanced at Ginny's drawing. "I meant to say that Hermione would have to be very careful. In Australia, unjustified magical influence on a person is considered a very serious crime. Hermione, maybe you could wait a little before leaving? Kingsley promised me a two-week holiday at the end of January".
"Here we go again," Ginny muttered. — "The wanderings of heroes, part two? Harry, we've talked about this before. You work in the Auror office - one. You are too famous, even in Australia - two. And you can't go there right now - three. Maybe I'm wrong, but Hermione, who managed to escape from Gringotts with you, taking a semi-tame animal as a souvenir, will somehow be able to quietly give a potion to her parents ..."
Ginny bit her lip, but it was too late.
"A Potion". Harry took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "So, a potion is going too… Ginny, could you…"
" Yes, yes, I'm leaving!" She gave me a guilty look and left the kitchen.
"Listen, Harry," I protested. "Ginny doesn't have to leave..."
He waved me off.
"Hermione, you have no idea how serious this is..."
On the day when Harry decided to go in isolation in search of Horcruxes, he had exactly the same expression on his face.
"Harry, I'll go to Australia anyway. You don't have to ask me anything. Besides, Ron had already arranged the portkey for the seventh of January".
He frowned.
"I heard. A wrong decision. It would be better if you flew like ordinary tourists. Wallis says that the arriving wizards are being watched very carefully. Have you read the booklet?"
"Yes… I will be very careful. But no one forbids me from accidentally meeting old friends and receive an invitation from them to visit".
"Of course," Harry agreed unexpectedly. "And if something goes wrong, I will simply overthrow Kingsley, seize power, raise an army and lead it to storm Australia. Potter's army - Easy peasy!"
We laughed, but the laughter sounded strained and forced. Harry covered my hand with his.
"I'll still worry about you and Ron. We need to figure out how to keep in touch".
"I think parchment would be no more difficult to charm than galleons," I said.
The fact that Harry was worried about me was nice and also a little bit funny. As if he had grown up in these two years, and I still remained a schoolgirl. Probably, he imagined everything as such: a hero on whose shoulders lies a lifelong responsibility for everyone and everyone.
"I also wanted to say," Harry stammered, "about Snape."
"I don't hope for anything from him. I don't expect it. I don't claim to know the man", I rumbled. - "For a more detailed report, contact Ginny".
He shook his head.
"I gave him my word that I would be silent, but this is wrong".
Again. They talked, didn't they? I don't think it would make me feel any better if I knew which of his plans Snape had shared with Harry.
" No, Harry. Let the Professor keep his secrets. He didn't try to hurt me, otherwise you would have stopped him. And the rest is unimportant".
He hesitated for a few more moments, and then nodded.
" Okay. Is there anything I can do to help you these days?"
" Yes. I'll have to think of something with Kreacher!"